Tigui Camara (born July 6, 1975 in Conakry) is an American-Guinean businesswoman and political figure. The daughter of a Guinean magistrate and politician, she stands out as one of the few women owners of a mining company in West Africa.
As CEO of the Tigui Holdings conglomerate, which includes Tigui Mining Group specializing in the extraction of gold and diamonds, she has found her way in a traditionally male mining sector. An influential member of associations such as Women in Mining International, she is also known for her political commitment as a former president of the Guinea Alliance for Development.
Introduction
Tigui Camara, real name Tiguidanké Camara (born July 6, 1975 in Conakry, Guinea) is an American-Guinean political figure and mining entrepreneur. Owner of the Tigui Holdings conglomerate, CEO of Tigui Mining Group and member of Women in Mining International, Tigui Camara is an exceptional woman who has made a place in the mining world, a traditionally male-dominated field.
Education
Born into an influential family, Tigui Camara received a quality education. After her primary studies in Conakry, she continued her schooling at Lycée Sainte Marie and Lycée Filira de Boké. She then obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from the Higher School of Management, Computer Science and Telecommunications in Morocco.
Career
After graduating, Camara started modeling and worked as a manager for the Thomas Pink and Bonpoint houses in New York. But her true passion lies in the mining sector. At the age of 22, she founded her first mining company, the Camara Diamond & Gold Trading Network (CDGTN), holding the Guinean gold and diamond licenses in 2009 and 2010, respectively. In 2012, she established Tigui Mining Group (TMG) and its subsidiary in Côte d'Ivoire in 2015 under Tigui mining Group Côte de Ivoire (TMG CI). In 2018, she launched the Tigui Holdings conglomerate with 18 companies and 8 brands, becoming one of the few women to own a mining company in West Africa.
Political career
In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Tigui Camara also engaged in politics. In 2011, she joined Dr. Kassory Fofana's Guinea for All (GPT) party, where she served as Communication Director and Special Adviser. In 2015, she became president of the Guinea Alliance for Development (AGD), a party founded by her father, Mohamed Mounir Camara. From 2020 to 2022, she was also deputy prime minister of African Kingdoms Federation. (AKF).
Tigui Mining Group
At the heart of the Tigui Camara empire is Tigui Mining Group (TMG), a mining company specializing in the extraction of diamonds and gold. TMG is a subsidiary of Camara Diamond & Gold Trading Network (CDGTN) based in Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire.
Awards and recognitions
The exceptional journey of Tigui Camara has not gone unnoticed. In 2019, she was ranked among the 100 most influential entrepreneurs of the year by Financial Africa magazine. In 2017, she was included in the Young Africa list of the 50 most influential women businessmen on the continent. In addition, she received the Celd women hall of fame award in 2016 and the title of AFrican Women leader of the year 2020.
Conclusion
Tigui Camara is an exceptional woman who has broken barriers in a traditionally male field. Her inspiring journey demonstrates that determination and hard work can lead to success, even in the most challenging environments. With her Tigui Holdings empire and political commitment, she continues to be a driving force for the advancement of women in business and society.
